War: What is it Good for?
by BleachedMerc
Summary: It is a time of war. Galbadia, a Global Superpower, has declared war on Dollet, a country whose training academy is home to two personalities: the hot-headed Seifer and the lone wolf, Squall Leonhart.


Dollet, one of the countries in the world whose training academy was a badly kept secret, was in trouble. Galbadia, a Global Superpower, had just declared war. Probably because it was jealous that the art students at the academy won a Noble Prize for creating art that ended world hunger. As the war came to Dollet country's doorstep, its two personalities were its last remaining hope...

Part I: The Loner

The lone wolf Squall Leonhart yawned from his comfy spot under the academy's only tree. It was a lazy day, and Squall Leonhart figured he could spend most of it sleeping. He scratched behind his ear a bit and started dozing off when he was suddenly awakened by a public service announcement.

"Attention students of Dollet's training academy: This is a reminder that gym class is cancelled this afternoon. In its time slot will now be war. Thank you."

Squall Leonhart growled. He loved chasing all the spare balls during gym class. But alas, there would probably be no balls to play with during the new war period. The saddening thought made him too disheartened to fall back asleep. So instead, he took to prowling his courtyard where he had marked his territory in virtually every inch of the place. He owned that courtyard, though the training academy would argue differently.

Even after all his prowling, Squall Leonhart was bored. He tried to get at the gym's supply room and maybe find a ball or two for amusement, but it was locked shut. Squall Leonhart whined a little bit. Now what would he do? He took to prowling again, kicking aside some dead leaves on the grass. It quickly turned into a game to see how long he could keep the leaves airborne. But the ill winds of war soon blew through the place, carrying the leaves away with them.

War period soon started and it was an annoyance. The loud noises and quaking ground drove Squall Leonhart crazy. He dashed across all corners of the courtyard, barking out orders for everyone to shut up and let him prowl in peace. But no one paid any attention. They were too busy splashing paint onto canvas in order to fashion wartime propaganda posters.

An explosion suddenly went off in the distance. A cultural bomb was dropped in the middle of the country. The Galbadia Global Superpower was spreading its malicious influence. The ground quaked with social discord and the status quo was starting to crumble. The time of war was reaching its peak and Squall Leonhart could do little more than run circles around the courtyard in a frenzy.

Another cultural bomb went off and Squall Leonhart ducked for cover under his tree. But he found no security there, for a branch had shaken loose and plonked onto his head. He whined in agony, but then suddenly stopped. The back gate swung open and Squall Leonhart growled at the intruder. Roo cautiously bounced into the courtyard, waving around a white flag. With war time mastery, he hopped up to the broken branch, grabbed it, and chucked it to the opposite side of the courtyard. Squall Leonhart immediately jumped into action. He put all his expert academy training to good use and bounded after that branch with a joyful yip. With mouth wide, he scooped up the branch, clenched his sharp teeth around it, and trotted back to Roo, who then chucked the branch again.

Squall Leonhart barked with joy. Who needed those silly gym balls? Today was going to be fun after all!

Roo and Squall Leonhart continued playing with the branch until a voice crackled over the intercom. "Attention students of Dollet's training academy: That concludes today's time of war. Refreshments are now being served in the cafeteria."

The artists ceased in their propaganda-making and headed for the snack tables. Meanwhile, Squall Leonhart had started whining again. He didn't want to let go of the branch, knowing it was the end of playtime. Roo knew just what to do. He quickly hopped to the cafeteria and came back with a large bowl of treats. Squall Leonhart knew this trick well, but he was starving so he didn't care. All that running and fetching had him hungry enough to eat a whole group of campers. So while he dug into his tasty bowl of treats, Roo gave him a quick pat then took the branch—which was really a Pooh stick—and returned it to the Fellowship of the Pooh.

Part II: The Heat

Seifer sat in class and stared out the window. What was he doing here? He didn't even want to attend this silly academy. He didn't even know it existed before he enrolled in it. His lack of discipline coupled with his lack of desire to be there lead to two things: him being labelled a delinquent and boredom.

He stared outside at his rival, Squall Leonhart, lazing around in the courtyard outside. He envied that lone wolf, his carefree attitude and not having everyone order him around every day. Seifer frowned as he looked outside, watching Squall frolick around outside the window. Shaking away his disgust and disappointment he put his hand on his head and reeled back from the touch.

"Why is my head so hot?" He asked out loud.

The student next to him shrugged.

"No, seriously, feel my forehead. It's insane." Seifer told the other student.

Seifer then got detention for giving another student 3rd degree burns.

Kicking around in detention, Seifer heard a curious announcement over the PA, "Attention students of Dollet's training academy: This is a reminder that gym class is cancelled this afternoon. In its time slot will now be war. Thank you."

Because of this change to the schedule and that participation in war was mandatory, Seifer was let out of detention early, but instead of relief, Seifer was filled with dread. His head still felt hot and the moment he put on his painter's beret, it immediately ignited into flames.

Seifer then got detention for destruction of the school uniform and was forced to wear a replacement. Which also ignited and landed Seifer with a fine.

Owing the school for the price of two caps, they decided not to give him any more headgear, but the staff and students looked at him funny as he painted his wartime propaganda piece. Not because he looked different but because his painting did.

"What's that?"

"A satellite tower. You know, for broadcasting?"

The other student shook his head.

Seifer sighed with disgust, and then said, "Follow me. I'll show you."

He led the student outside the academy and down the street to the fountain plaza. He pointed in the direction of the satellite tower in the distance. "There. See? I just doodled a little drawing of that."

The student raised an eyebrow. "Of what? All I see are the hotel and some non-descript building."

Seifer sighed, "The camera pan will show you. Well, not you specifically but, you know what I mean."

"Are you feeling okay?" The student asked, raising his hand to Seifer's forehead.

"No! WAIT! DON'T-!"

Too late.

Seifer's new friend suffered as his hand made contact with Seifer's forehead and he instantly burst into flames.

As his friend was picked up by a wartime ambulance, Seifer made his way back to the academy where he was given more detention and his painting was discarded for its lack of importance and relevance to the war with Galbadia.

Seifer tried arguing with his instructors, "But that's why they're here! Don't you see! The Galbadians, a global superpower are here declaring war because they want the satellite tower to broadcast their message!" but he was suspended.

With nowhere else to go, he soon found himself outside in the courtyard with Squall.

Squall Leonhart trooped over and started sniffing his forehead.

"Yeah, yeah, I know..." Seifer explained, his hotheadness getting him into all kinds of trouble lately.

Squall, the wolf that he was, started licking it. And that was the only thing to cool off Seifer's hotheadedness: Squall giving him the good licking that he deserved.

Seifer, all cooled off now, laughed and played with Squall out in the courtyard, throwing a stick for Squall to fetch and bring back. But they were soon interrupted when Roo returned to the courtyard and confiscated it, undoubtedly determined to return it to the Fellowship of the Pooh.

Seifer, then got an idea, done with the academy and it's silliness, he broke into the gymnasium and stole a ball. Seifer and Squall then had a ball and made their own fun.

The end.


End file.
